Chris Goulding set to end year from hell with Simmons clash

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FROM watching Melbourne United almost beat Oklahoma City while sitting on his couch in pain with appendicitis to playing against his former Boomers roommate Ben Simmons in an historic NBA pre-season clash.

United captain Chris Goulding will cap off a crazy 12-month turnaround on Saturday morning when he takes on Simmons’ Philadelphia 76ers.

This time last year, Goulding was a late withdrawal as Melbourne came within one bucket of beating a star-studded Thunder side.

A year on and the United guard is fully fit and ready to make the most of his opportunity on the NBA stage.

“I’m really excited,” Goulding said.

“Everyone keeps asking me if I’m over the moon to be here and maybe I’m a bit older and mature now but I’m not really overawed by the occasion.

“I’ll just treat it like any other game, but it will be cool to play against (Simmons).

“He came to a Boomers camp and I roomed with him in 2014 — so I’m looking forward to the game.”

Goulding knows Simmons’ Sixers are on the big stage earning the big bucks but he says Melbourne won’t take a backwards step.

“As long as we go out there and play an intense style of defence that Melbourne United has been known for — then we will just go for it,” he said.

“But we haven’t really done any scouting on the Sixers.

“I don’t think we really need to.

“We watched 20 NBA games of theirs last season, but we’ll do some specifics on their plays on the day of the day of the game.”

Goulding was in a different mindset this time last year after completing surgery for his appendicitis.

Feeling sore and sorry for himself, the star sharpshooter couldn’t even jump for joy when Melbourne pushed OKC to the limit in a thrilling one-point loss.

12 months later Goulding believes United can take inspiration from their gutsy performance against a Thunder side featuring All-Stars Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony.

“Everyone was saying we’d get smashed,” he said.

“But at quarter-time there was only one or two points in it.

“I remember I had my phone and twitter going saying, ‘c’mon where is the respect.

“People thought we’d go in there and get smashed but we did a really good job and just lost the game.”

Despite playing the Sixers on the same day as the AFL grand final, Melbourne players have vowed to stay up for the decider.

The local Philadelphia Australian rules side, known as the Hawks, have invited United players and staff to watch the Collingwood versus West Coast blockbuster on a big screen.

“Hopefully get a game day nap and then that will put us in a good head space for our game and then flow that into the AFL grand final,” Goulding said.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if Collingwood won, but I don’t want to jinx a team with my tip.”